Yet another iron/anemia question

May 31, 2003

I have a question about iron / anemia and want to see what others

with this problem have heard from their physician on this. I have

gotten different answers from health professionals and am confused.

My ferritin has been a downward slide since I had surgery 19 months

ago. 45 days ago it tested at 5. 6 months ago it was 10. My

hemoglobin and hermatocrit have tested in the low normal range during

this odyssey. I have never in all my life been so bone weary tired

as I have been these past few months. Sleeping at lunch at work

during the day, coming home and sleeping 3 or 4 hours of deep sleep

at night and then going back to bed at night for 7 or 8 hours and

ALWAYS feeling like a zombie. My arrogant and condescending PCP says

yesterday that I was not really anemic because my hemoglobin and

hermatocrit was in the low normal range. Obviously, they

were " raiding " my ferritin but that wasn't the reason I was tired and

it must have been something else.

When my ferritin came in at 5 forty five days ago, he told me he did

not have a clue about what I should do and I " should call my buddies

at the hospital " where I had surgery at. ?? That inspired my

confidence- obviously he wasn't willing to help me find anything out,

he jsut wanted to get rid of me. BUT I digress...

I called the dietician that heads the bariatric program and had my

bloodwork faxed to her. She wanted to see me after reviewing it and

told me I was severely anemic in her opionion and that is why I felt

so bloody awful. She told me to get liquid Nifirex and gave me the

dosages etc. She told me to get checked in 45 to 60 days which I did

yesterday. (results coming next week...) After a few weeks on the

Nifirex, my bone weary tiredness began to subside and I am feeling

150% better. The only thing different now than 45 days ago is the

iron.

After telling my Dr. that I thought he should have told me I was

anemic, he proceeded to tell me I wasn't, it had nothing to do with

why I was tired and the dietician was a dietician, and he was a Dr.

and he knew more. Good grief that made me mad as if she knew

nothing. What do you guys think? Have any of you gone through

this? It is really bothering me that maybe something else is wrong

that I haven't figured out yet that caused the problem. ?? Any

additional info, advice etc would be appreciated. Thanks...

R in Nashville

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